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South Lyon council reviews amended e‑bike ordinance, asks for clearer park/downtown rules
Summary
Council discussed an amended ordinance that incorporates Michigan motor vehicle code language to regulate e‑bikes, prohibit dirt bikes from roads and sidewalks, and set posted speed limits (proposed 10 mph) with exceptions for parks and trails; council asked staff and the city attorney to clarify park vs. roadway language and recommended signage and education.
Council members exchanged detailed questions on an amended e‑bike ordinance presented by Police Chief Unruh and city legal staff, asking staff to clarify where the rules will apply and how they will be enforced.
The ordinance draft mirrors sections of the Michigan motor vehicle code, Chief Unruh said, and aims to improve safety and reduce repeat warnings for youth riders. The draft would prohibit dirt bikes (gas or electric off‑road vehicles) from roads and sidewalks and would not allow e‑bikes on sidewalks, while permitting them in roadways and on the rail trail "within the speed limit," the chief said.
Several council members raised concerns about a proposed 10 mph speed cap for e‑bikes. Council member Squires said a lower limit in park areas like Maccaddy Park might be appropriate because of heavy pedestrian traffic, while others suggested a 15 mph limit for less congested sections of the rail trail. The city attorney confirmed the draft pulls definitions and many regulatory sections directly from state law and noted the city has already adopted the motor vehicle code into local ordinance for clarity.
Council members also asked staff to separate and clarify language that now mixes road/parking‑area rules with park/regulation paragraphs, and to add clearer signage and an education campaign to distinguish allowed e‑bike use from prohibited motorized vehicles and dirt bikes. Public safety was emphasized: the mayor and others noted education for parents and repeat warnings for young riders remain a priority.
No formal vote was taken; the item was placed on the agenda to solicit council feedback and direct revisions. The attorney and staff said they would rework the draft to (1) move park‑specific sentences into a separate subsection, (2) consider varying posted speeds for trail segments and parks, and (3) return with clearer language and recommended signage.
